Designing Solutions to the Hidden Impacts of Climate Change on Canada’s Undersea Forests

In 2015, First Nations communities on the central coast of BC observed an expansive outbreak of an encrusting bryozoan correlated with extreme ocean temperature anomalies in the northeast Pacific Ocean. Giant kelp were heavily encrusted by the bryozoan, causing them to sink to the seafloor where they rapidly disintegrated. This concerned the First Nations communities, who rely heavily on these kelp forest ecosystems for commercial, food, social and ceremonial purposes.

In partnership with CCIRA and the four First Nations of BC’s central coast (Heiltsuk, Kitasoo/Xai’xais, Nuxalk, Wuikinuxv Nations) this co-designed project will determine whether adaptive management of traditional community-based kelp harvest and herring spawn-on kelp fisheries can minimize the negative impact of temperature-induced bryozoan outbreaks—and enhance the resilience of both kelp forest ecosystems and coastal communities to climate change.